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GRAHAM Potter is preparing to manage Chelsea in the Premier League for the first time – another notable milestone in his unusual pathway to the top of the game.
The Blues boss – whose Chelsea side are away at Crystal Palace in a 3pm kick-off on Saturday – has been on a remarkable journey, from his playing days to coaching university sides, achieving success in Sweden and then building his reputation on these shores with Swansea and Brighton.
Sky Sports has taken an in-depth look at his story in a special ‘Making a Manager’ series, speaking with his former team-mates, coaches and colleagues to find out more about what has made the new Chelsea coach the manager he is today.
Potter’s playing career featured a stint in the Premier League and took him to clubs including Birmingham, Stoke, Southampton and West Brom.
In total he racked up 350 appearances – but it could have been a few more.
While at his final club, Macclesfield, the left-back/left wing-back – described as good on the ball and elegant by former team-mates – suffered an unlikely accident.
During his time as head coach at Swedish coach Ostersunds, Potter led the small, northernly club to back-to-back promotions to the top tier, a cup win and a Europa League victory over Arsenal in the first leg of their knockout tie.
But as well as revolutionising the team on the pitch, Potter also took his players into uncharted territory off it.
One of his players, Tom Pettersson said: “It wasn’t always fun when you had to practice these things for three hours on a Tuesday afternoon but it was helping us.
When we had our big performance at the end of the season, even though you suck at rapping, you felt ‘if I can do this in front of a 1,000 people or more, I can do whatever I want on the pitch’.”
Potter got stuck in himself, too, singing an anthem in a local dialect and a year later performing in the club’s rendition of ballet Swan Lake!
Potter retired from football in 2005 – the same year he completed his Open University degree in social sciences.
It was just the start of his links with the world of education.
He went on to coach at Leeds Met, acted as Hull University’s Football Development Manager and ended up signing four players for Ostersunds who he used to coach for England Universities. — Skysports.
Online Reporter